Opinion: Podcast asks if AI deception can be prevented as systems outsmart humans
The Guardian AI released a podcast titled “If you build something vastly smarter than you, it better be on your side”: can we stop AI from deceiving us? The discussion, written by Snigdha Poonam and read by Maya Saroya, explores the unsettling prospect that advanced machine systems could deliberately mislead people. It notes that researchers are racing to devise technical and policy safeguards…
Key points
- Guardian AI published a podcast examining risks of AI systems deliberately deceiving humans.
- Researchers are racing to create safeguards before advanced AI outpaces human control.
- The episode is funded by the Tarbell Center for AI Journalism and read by Maya Saroya.
The piece is supported by a grant from the Tarbell Center for AI Journalism. It frames the challenge as a moral and security question, asking whether society can ensure that super‑intelligent systems act in humanity’s interest rather than exploiting their superior cognition. No concrete solutions are presented, but the conversation highlights the urgency of the problem for developers, regulators, and the public.
‘If you build something vastly smarter than you, it better be on your side’: can we stop AI from deceiving us? – podcast
The Guardian AI · 18 September 2026
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This article was supported by a grant from the Tarbell Center for AI Journalism
‘If you build something vastly smarter than you, it better be on your side’: can we stop AI from deceiving us? – podcast
We are used to the idea that our fellow humans might intentionally mislead or manipulate us, but the idea that machines can now do the same is deeply unsettling. Researchers are racing to find solutions before it’s too late.
By Snigdha Poonam. Read by Maya Saroya
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This text was published by The Guardian AI and written by Written by Snigdha Poonamand read by Maya Saroya. Produced by Nicola Alexandrouand Joshan ChanaThe executive producer was Ellie Bury. It is reproduced here with attribution so you can read it in full; the rights remain with the publisher. Read it at the source ↗
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